Chapter 37: The Premiere Night

Su Xuan placed the corn in Yan Gang’s hand, took three steps, fell twice, and continued walking forward. His despair was written all over his face, so much so that even Director Hua and Song Xiao could tell.

Song Xiao came over to console Su Xuan, but really, she was just here for the gossip. She sat down on a small stool and asked Su Xuan, who had been staring blankly at the lights for half an hour, “What’s wrong?”

Su Xuan looked at Song Xiao with no life in his eyes, then went back to staring at the light. After a while, he suddenly snapped back to reality, whipping his head around to look at Song Xiao with a glimmer of last hope, trembling as he asked, “Shen Chao… does he like someone?”

Song Xiao was startled by Su Xuan’s outburst. “You already know?” she blurted out.

Su Xuan’s heart shattered. “It’s true?!”

Song Xiao’s scalp prickled with anxiety. “Calm down! Whatever he’s thinking, it has nothing to do with you now! Shen Chao is still considering whether to let the other person go! That person might not even accept him!”

Tears welled up in Su Xuan’s heart. So it really was that the other person couldn’t accept Shen Chao!

Even Shen Chao’s mom said he was heartbroken! What kind of lunatic couldn’t see how amazing Shen Chao was? And Shen Chao was even pursuing them?

Xuanxuan just wanted to… wail. Xuanxuan only wanted to cry.

Song Xiao was terrified by Su Xuan’s reaction. She cautiously asked, “Do you hate it that much?”

Su Xuan let out a cold, hollow laugh. “…Simps never die well.”

Song Xiao frowned, hands on her hips, anger flaring. She retorted fiercely, “However you feel, you can’t call Shen Chao a simp! Even if he’s lowering himself a bit…”

Su Xuan’s heart poured tears like a waterfall, turning him into a weeping widow. Shen Chao was *lowering himself*?!

Xuanxuan was insanely jealous!

He had secretly loved Shen Chao for years and never once seen him bow to anyone!

Su Xuan glared at Song Xiao, eyes both vicious and teary. “Who is it?! Who does Shen Chao like?” That person is going on my express death list tonight!

Song Xiao: “……………”

Song Xiao was scared out of her wits. She thought Shen Chao liking Su Xuan had been exposed, but it was just a false alarm.

She rolled her eyes so hard she nearly passed out. “So you don’t even know who it is! Then why are you so worked up?!”

She wiped her sweat and guiltily added, “It’s not like he likes you! Why are you so angry? Who Shen Chao likes is his business, right? Even if you don’t accept it, there’s no need to hate it so much!”

Phew! She was terrified he’d be disgusted that Shen Chao liked him!

Su Xuan looked at her through a veil of tears. “Shen Chao doesn’t like me, but I’ve had a crush on him for four years. He likes someone else—can’t I be heartbroken? But don’t tell anyone…”

Song Xiao: “…?!?!?!?”

Song Xiao gasped. Her face twisted as she grabbed Su Xuan’s sleeve, forcing a gentle tone to confirm, “Say that again. Who do you like?”

Su Xuan: “……”

Song Xiao’s expression was terrifying! What kind of earth-shattering shock was that?

Su Xuan could see written on Song Xiao’s face: “Mountains crumble, the world ends, but my ship is real.”

He stepped back in fear. “Song Xiao, are you having contractions? You look really weird.”

Song Xiao grimly latched onto Su Xuan’s neck, letting out a distorted low laugh. Then she slowly leaned close to his ear. Su Xuan braced himself for something terrifying, goosebumps rising all over. Scared, he covered his chest and whispered, “Damn! Song Xiao, are you homophobic? Your reaction is way too much!”

Song Xiao’s face even showed the same expression she had when Yan Gang beat him up! Think about the baby, Song Xiao!

Song Xiao whispered, “My ship is real.”

Su Xuan: “?????”

Song Xiao burst into manic laughter. “You and Shen Chao are locked, and Huana swallowed the key!”

Su Xuan: “?????”

Song Xiao howled to the sky. “You two are getting on my express do-it list tonight!”

Su Xuan: “?????????????”

Song Xiao stood in a corner, snorting like a dragon as she made a phone call. Su Xuan shivered ten meters away, watching the glowing-eyed empress with confusion and curiosity.

Who was Song Xiao calling? Her expression was terrifying, but Su Xuan didn’t dare approach. She had ordered him to wait ten meters away until she finished the call, then he’d be sent to the express do-it list.

Su Xuan had no idea what that list was, but it sounded… unhealthy.

When the other person picked up, Song Xiao rattled off rapidly, “I know Su Xuan likes you, Shen Chao! Can I tell him you like him?! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Song Xiao was a shipper and gossip with professional ethics. Even if she wanted to tell Su Xuan, she had to get Shen Chao’s permission first.

Shen Chao had clearly thought deeply about his feelings for Su Xuan. He was in it for the long haul.

Shen said, “No.”

Song Xiao deflated like a pufferfish. “…Why? You two like each other…”

She continued, “Shen Chao, he likes you too! And for a long time…”

Shen Chao: “I’ve liked him just as long.”

Song Xiao tore at her heart. “Do you *have* to be together forever? Two people liking each other is enough to start a relationship! It doesn’t have to be forever! Nobody can promise forever!”

Shen Chao: “I can’t promise either. If he stops liking me, I don’t know what I might do.”

Song Xiao backed down. If Shen Chao said no and you went behind his back, the consequences were severe.

She sighed dejectedly. “…Then when can you two be together?”

Shen Chao was silent for a moment. “When I can accept the possibility that Su Xuan might one day stop liking me.”

Song Xiao asked, “And when will that be?”

Shen Chao said, “I don’t know.”

He added calmly, “At the very least, as long as I know he still likes me, I can’t accept it.”

After hanging up, Song Xiao stood frozen, processing Shen Chao’s words twice in her mind.

She felt there was something off about his logic.

Frowning, she rubbed her chin in thought.

She deduced:

Shen Chao needs to accept that Su Xuan might one day stop liking him before he can date him.

 But he can’t accept that fact while Su Xuan likes him.

He can only accept it after Su Xuan stops liking him.

But then Su Xuan already doesn’t like him.

They can’t be together!

Bad ending.

This conclusion is a bad ending!

Start over! Song Xiao shook her head wildly.

She tried a different angle.

Shen Chao needs to accept that Su Xuan might one day stop liking him before he can date him.

 But he can’t accept that fact while Su Xuan likes him.

He can only accept it after Su Xuan stops liking him.

But because Shen Chao is always being liked, he absolutely can’t accept the possibility of Su Xuan not liking him.

So Shen Chao chooses not to start a relationship with Su Xuan.

They still can’t be together!!!

It’s still a bad ending!!!!

Song Xiao crouched on the ground, clutching her hair and howling, “Aaaaah!!!”

Why is my ship always a bad ending?

It must be Shen Chao’s fault!!!!

Su Xuan saw Song Xiao go berserk after the call and rushed over. Earlier, after he told her about his crush, she had been intensely stimulated, spouting weird stuff like “It’s real” and “Why can’t it be a happy ending?”

Song Xiao’s expression was surreal, somewhere between a grieving mother who lost her child to a wolf and a scholar who passed the imperial exam.

Su Xuan concluded: Song Xiao looked like a grieving mother whose child passed the exam and was then taken by a wolf.

It gave a sense of dramatic ups and downs. She seemed delirious and a bit listless.

Su Xuan helped her up. When Song Xiao looked up at him, her expression almost made him drop her hand. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Song Xiao stared at him like he was the one taken by a wolf.

Nervously, Su Xuan asked, “Song Xiao, what’s wrong?”

Song Xiao stared at him blankly for a while, then suddenly had an epiphany. She grabbed Su Xuan’s arms and shook him. “Good! I know how to solve this problem! Su Xuan, you pretend not to like Shen Chao that much on the surface, but actually you still like him. That way you can be with Shen Chao!”

Su Xuan stammered, “…That’s what my agent asked me to do for the promotion.”

Song Xiao was confused. “What promotion?”

Su Xuan thought she didn’t understand, so he explained carefully. “It means Shen Chao and I act like a CP in front of everyone. During the promotion, I can show affection for Shen Chao, and he can show affection for me, but not too much.”

A light bulb went off over Song Xiao’s head. “…Right, right. Under that circumstance, you two can logically be together.”

“Genius. Shen Chao is a genius! He already figured out how to be with you…”

Her voice faded automatically under Su Xuan’s confused gaze.

“Damn!!!! Ah!!!”

Song Xiao roared, “No wonder he’s not worried at all! He already had it all planned!!!”

She whipped around to Su Xuan. “When is your next promotion?”

Su Xuan, dizzy from being shaken, replied, “The first episode of the web series *The Nine-Tiered* airs… this week, I think.”

[ Shen Chao: How to snag a husband under your own twisted logic. Plan accomplished √ ]

After a series of ups and downs, the web series *The Nine-Tiered* finally confirmed its premiere for Saturday at 8 PM, exclusively on the Douhua app.

From the start of filming, the series had been plagued by controversies. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that it was actually airing.

But it was a blessing in disguise. Even people who didn’t care about the show kept seeing news about it, so the premiere attracted an unprecedented amount of attention.

Industry insiders predicted that the most-viewed web series on the Douhua app was about to change hands, from *Aged* to *The Nine-Tiered*.

But since the lead actor for both was Shen Chao, netizens joked that it was another “I beat myself” battle. How lonely it must be to be Shen Chao’s invincibility.

Shen Chao’s previous smear campaign, orchestrated by UK, had died down. Baseless controversies like that usually faded quickly when the other side stopped spending money. After Du Mu visited the set, UK’s attacks slowed.

But such large-scale negativity still left a bad impression. Shen Chao’s public goodwill was clearly not as good as before.

However, these effects could be offset by a quality drama.

As long as Shen Chao’s performance in *The Nine-Tiered* convinced the audience, he would only rise higher. But Star Culture wasn’t so optimistic. UK had spent a lot to target Shen Chao; they wouldn’t just watch him turn things around.

During the broadcast of *The Nine-Tiered*, UK would likely make another big move. If Shen Chao’s performance was good and the drama itself had no issues, UK would attack from other angles, fabricating black marks against Shen Chao.

All of Shen Chao’s data and social media accounts were now under strict control. For the two to three months of *The Nine-Tiered*’s run, Shen Chao couldn’t log in or post anything on Weibo privately, and even screenshot-capable apps like WeChat were to be used sparingly.

It would be a hard battle.

As for Su Xuan, under Liu Pangpang’s constant reminders, he had stopped searching for or reading anything about himself two months ago.

Accidentally seeing something about Shen Chao didn’t count.

Star Culture even couldn’t help but suggest to Liu Pangpang that they take over Su Xuan’s online publicity for free. Su Xuan was flattered and bewildered. Star Culture’s PR department was strong but also expensive—at least, Su Xuan couldn’t afford them now. And that department was proud, rarely solving problems for people outside the company.

But Liu Pangpang said gloomily, “Do you know why Star Culture wants to help you?”

Su Xuan: “Because they’re… helpful?”

Liu Pangpang: “…”

He was speechless. “Because since you joined the production, basically everything that’s happened with *The Nine-Tiered* is related to you. I’ve seen at least eight hundred hot searches about you: ‘Su Xuan replaces Emperor Wang,’ ‘Shen Chao forces himself to act for Su Xuan after injury,’ ‘Su Xuan exposed for concurrent filming in two productions,’ ‘UK’s prince fails to join *The Nine-Tiered*,’ and so on. I think Star Culture has mixed feelings—love and hate. You saved them a lot of promotional costs, but you’re also a real headache.”

“In their eyes, you probably look pretty impressive.”

Su Xuan said modestly, “Just so-so.”

Liu Pangpang: “…I wasn’t complimenting you.”

His tone turned dreamy. “Also, Star Culture told me you’re the most unique artist they’ve ever dealt with in terms of public opinion. Normally, with all the stuff you’ve been through, you’d be cursed out so badly your own mother wouldn’t recognize you. But do you know what the internet is saying about you now?”

Su Xuan: “???? What are they saying?”

Liu Pangpang said, “Everyone thinks you’re a big demon in the entertainment industry—someone who can replace an acting emperor, bully Shen Chao into acting for you, trample over a director like Qian Huai’s temper, and kick out UK’s prince at will.”

Su Xuan: “???????????????”

Su Xuan: “…I’m not that powerful…”

Liu Pangpang’s mood was extremely complicated. “There are also people saying you’re Shen Chao’s sugar daddy, and *The Nine-Tiered* movie was made with a few billion yuan you threw at him.”

Su Xuan, who had been feeling down, now laughed so hard tears came to his eyes. “I thank the netizens for letting me live my dream life. But if I were really that rich, why would I still be juggling multiple sets?”

Liu Pangpang’s tone became even more surreal. “That concurrent filming thing became even more mysterious because Shen Chao and Wang Muzhe both spoke up to defend you on social media.

“Online, people are guessing that Wang Muzhe and Shen Chao are your lovers, and you were juggling sets to placate their jealousy. Oh, and don’t get too happy, Su Xuan. In all the gossip versions—”

“—you’re the top.”

Su Xuan spat out his drink. “Pfft!!!”

To be a sugar daddy and juggle films to keep the peace, then become a workaholic—what a hardship. Why keep so many lovers?

As a bottom, Su Xuan couldn’t help but sympathize with the version of himself in the rumors who was forcefully made a top.

Liu Pangpang continued, “Then Du Mu is also your lover. He saw you acting with Wang Muzhe and Shen Chao and got jealous, so he came to replace you.”

Su Xuan: “Pfft—!!! I’m servicing three men a night? The netizens sure have imaginations. I wouldn’t even dare dream that.”

He frowned. “But Du Mu? What’s he got to do with it?”

Liu Pangpang: “He posted an Instagram saying he’s looking forward to your performances as Rong Yanzhi in *The Nine-Tiered* web series and Ergou in *The Jewel Heist*. The picture he attached was the still from *The Jewel Heist* that was released two days ago, showing you and Wang Muzhe.”

Liu Pangpang clarified, “In reality, any of those three could easily keep you, but netizens just find it fun. Now with this big-demon persona, fewer passersby criticize you—they all think your background is mysterious.”

In the entertainment industry, not many people could make Shen Chao speak up for them, get Wang Muzhe’s support, and have Du Mu voluntarily step back while still looking forward to their work. But Su Xuan’s resume was clear and ordinary, which only made him seem more unfathomable.

Moreover, during several major online battles, Su Xuan’s company, Leaf Media’s PR department acted like a decoration—completely hands-off and not controlling comments. This created an air of “I don’t give a damn what you say,” which actually won over some passersby. Liu Pangpang said Star Culture thought it was a very sophisticated marketing strategy and respected Leaf Media’s PR team immensely.

Su Xuan felt complicated. “But our company’s PR really *is* just for show…”

Liu Pangpang said, “Right, but do you think anyone will believe that?”

Su Xuan: “…”

Liu Pangpang said, “Even Star Culture’s PR, when they negotiated the promotion plan with us, thought we let you be roasted for two months on purpose as part of your publicity route. They said our PR was amazing—‘taking a risky path but with good results’—but admitted they weren’t as capable and wouldn’t dare do that. They wanted a more stable, gentle approach.”

Su Xuan: “…”

No, Star Culture PR friends, our company is simply incompetent and poor. Don’t put a genius persona on us.

Liu Pangpang contacted Su Xuan this time mainly to inform him about some things after the premiere of *The Nine-Tiered* on Saturday.

*The Nine-Tiered* had always been a core project for Star Culture over the past five to ten years. The money poured into it was astronomical. The web series, as one of the promotional projects, wasn’t the top priority.

But its buzz was the highest among all related projects—even higher than the *The Nine-Tiered* movie released earlier.

It was a blessing in disguise. Because of all the incidents, the web series had attracted a lot of attention from passersby. With various pushes, almost everyone knew that the premiere was Saturday at 8 PM.

Liu Pangpang said netizens were waiting for *The Nine-Tiered* like it was the Spring Festival Gala.

He continued, “After *The Nine-Tiered* airs this Saturday, we’ll see how you perform. But with the current hype, it’s going to explode. It’s almost impossible for an actor to flop. Even if you were a hot mess in it, you’d be roasted into a steaming pile of crap.”

Su Xuan: “………”

You sound like you’re insulting me, but I can’t prove it.

Liu Pangpang paused and added, “But I don’t think you’re crap, Su Xuan. I saw some of your scenes on set. I think you performed very well. You’re about to blow up.”

Su Xuan laughed. “You said the same thing when *Four Courtyards* came out.”

“No, it’s different. *Four Courtyards*—you were riding on Shen Chao’s coattails. You two were firecrackers; he exploded and took you along. But this time, Su Xuan, you and Shen Chao are fireworks. His explosion isn’t related to yours. You’ll explode on your own.”

“Beautiful and generous. No one will dare say you’re leeching off his fame.”

Saturday, 8 PM.

All staff at Douhua app and Star Culture were working overtime.

This was a night where nothing could go wrong. At 6:30, Huana had given everyone the rest of the night off, telling the crew to watch the first episode together.

At 7:30, many bloggers with millions of followers posted that they would watch *The Nine-Tiered* tonight.

At 7:45, Hua Wei and the original author of *The Nine-Tiered* both posted photos of themselves waiting in front of their computers, with the Douhua app showing “Douhua reminds you: 15 minutes until the premiere~”

Hua Wei: Heritage and anticipation [photo]

Author of The Nine-Tiered*: Eating and waiting, haha [photo]

At 7:51, nine minutes before airing, the comment section of the web series had already broken ten thousand.

At the same time, on a film and TV rating platform, over 60,000 people had rated the series. The current score was 6.2, with more than 70% giving three stars—the pass mark.

At 7:55, Su Xuan and Shen Chao’s follower counts were slowly climbing. Shen Chao had 99.55 million followers; Su Xuan had 19.06 million.

Huana stared at the computer screen, his face pale, hands trembling. The closer the air time, the more nervous he became. When he stood up to go to the bathroom again, Song Xiao couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Huana, calm down.”

Huana gave a bitter laugh. “Haha, I’m perfectly calm. I just need to pee.”

Song Xiao: “…”

Yan Gang, who was watching from the side, said coldly, “You’ve peed eight times in ten minutes. How about I get you a diaper?”

Huana slumped back into his chair. “…Go ahead.”

Yan Gang, Song Xiao: “…”

Huana had never handled such a high-profile project. Every step had been bloody, especially with Su Xuan—there was never a moment’s peace. Actors face criticism from the audience before directors, so Su Xuan must be nervous and miserable too, Huana thought. He was so anxious he couldn’t eat; if he ate, he’d throw up…

Huana turned to seek a fellow anxious soul. He looked at Su Xuan, thinking about comforting him…

Su Xuan had one cheek puffed out, nibbling on a corncob. In his hands, he had opened a bag of sunflower seeds and chips. On his lap was a large bucket of fried chicken. By his feet was a bottle of beer. He’d even ordered a bowl of spicy hot pot and placed it on the stool opposite him, taking a bite every now and then. He was fully in “chasing a drama” mode.

When Su Xuan noticed Huana staring, he held out his corn. “Want some? I didn’t eat enough dinner.”

Huana: “…”

Huana roared, “You ate two boxed dinners for dinner and you’re still not full?! Are you a pig?! How much takeout did you order?! Tonight is the premiere! We’re all here waiting to watch the show, and this is how you act?!”

He angrily pointed at the snacks and takeout Su Xuan had bought. “Do you look like you’re about to watch a drama? Be serious, will you?”

Su Xuan looked confused. “…This is how I seriously watch dramas. Eat fried chicken, drink beer, maybe order some spicy hot pot…”

Huana: “……”

He was so nervous he’d need a diaper any minute! Why could Su Xuan be so relaxed?

Huana’s voice was both aggrieved and angry. “Aren’t you nervous?!”

Su Xuan looked at him, puzzled. “What’s there to be nervous about?”

“Everyone performed really well.”

Su Xuan continued, “All we have to do is wait to be praised. Everyone put in their greatest effort and sincerity to make this work. I think you polished every detail to a degree I can’t even imagine. As a viewer, if I saw something like this, I wouldn’t think you were nervous about the broadcast.”

“Director Hua, I thought you’d be proud right now. Are you really nervous?” Su Xuan asked, bewildered.

Su Xuan’s logic was simple. He thought *The Nine-Tiered* crew was like a top student who always scored over 700 on practice exams. Now that it was time for the real exam, worrying about not getting into a good university was completely unnecessary.

He didn’t know how he himself performed, but the excellence of others was undeniable.

Song Xiao, even pregnant, did most of her own stunt scenes. After Shen Chao returned from his injury, many shots were nailed in a single take. Yan Gang, as his stunt double, had become indistinguishable from Shen Chao when seen from behind.

And as the director, Huana had been involved in nearly every actor’s growth. He also participated in editing, dubbing adjustments, and visual tone. Because of all the incidents, Huana had poured his heart and soul into ensuring the quality, often sleeping only one or two hours a day.

Su Xuan believed a work like this couldn’t be bad.

Huana froze. He sat back down and stared at the computer screen for a long time. In the dark reflection of the monitor, he saw all the actors and staff looking at him. Suddenly, his shoulders slumped. He let out a long breath and laughed.

Huana reached out to Su Xuan. With a relieved and relaxed tone, he said, “Give me a corncob. I’m going to watch the drama too.”

Su Xuan was right. Now he just needed to watch the show as a viewer and see the results.

Song Xiao relaxed when she saw Huana unwind. He had made her nervous earlier, to the point she didn’t dare say a word.

Song Xiao reached over to grab Su Xuan’s food. “I want fried chicken!”

Yan Gang also leaned in. “I’ll take a beer.”

Others crowded around. “I want some spicy hot pot, Su Xuan. Can I?”

“Su Xuan, I’m craving your sunflower seeds.”

“Su Xuan, I want your sunflower seeds too, hehe.”

Su Xuan, surrounded by a group of eager people: “……”

You just want my sunflower seeds, no need to act like you want my body. Thank you.

Su Xuan was cleaned out. Only a few corncobs and a bag of chips remained.

Only Shen Chao’s hands were empty. Instinctively, Su Xuan wanted to hand him a corncob, but then remembered Shen Chao was allergic to corn.

Ah, Su Xuan thought sadly. He was now a bit allergic to Shen Chao too. Knowing Shen Chao had someone he liked made Su Xuan feel like his unrequited love was suddenly immoral.

He sneaked closer to Song Xiao, who was eating fried chicken. “Hey, Brother Xiao, Shen Chao and the person he likes… they’re not together yet, right?”

To avoid becoming a third party, Su Xuan decided to clarify the situation first.

Song Xiao’s expression was subtle. “…No.”

Su Xuan hesitated. “How are things between them?”

Song Xiao glanced at Shen Chao.

Shen Chao was staring expressionlessly at the corn in Huana’s hand and the beer in Yan Gang’s hand. Earlier, he’d also stared at the fried chicken in her hand. All those things were given by Su Xuan. Su Xuan had distributed snacks to basically everyone in the crew—except Shen Chao.

Shen Chao’s gaze was fixed on the one remaining corncob in Su Xuan’s hand.

Song Xiao said with mixed feelings, “Right now? Maybe Shen Chao is very jealous…” Even though I think it’s his own fault.

She took a big bite of fried chicken under Shen Chao’s stare and smiled. “Because… the person he likes gives something to everyone but him. He sees others have it, and he doesn’t. That’s sour, right?”

Su Xuan’s mood also became mixed. “How cruel… The person Shen Chao likes is such a jerk.”

But then he added seriously, “Though personally, I hope that jerk treats Shen Chao even worse. Just say straight up, ‘I’d give it to a dog but not to you.’ Crush him so hard he never loves again.”

Song Xiao: “……”

Song Xiao said slowly, “…You’re so mean, Su Xuan.”

Su Xuan sighed sorrowfully. “I know, it’s a vicious thought. So I won’t give Shen Chao anything. I only have one corn left, and I don’t want to eat it either. I’ll feed it to the stray dog on the set instead.”

Song Xiao said, “…Wasn’t the stray dog on our set chased away by an overly nervous Director Hua today because of the premiere?”

Su Xuan paused, then said, “Oh right.” He turned to Yan Gang. “Brother Gang, want some corn? I specially saved it for you.”

Song Xiao: “…..”

Brother Gang, sitting right there, heard you say you were going to feed it to a dog!!!

Yan Gang slowly crushed his beer can. “I can hear what you’re saying, Su Xuan.”

Shen Chao, sitting next to Yan Gang, nodded coldly and slowly clenched his fist. “Yeah, I can hear too.”

Song Xiao gave Su Xuan a complicated look. “…You’re so mean, Su Xuan.”

He actually went and fed it to a dog, but not Shen Chao…

Su Xuan looked confused. “???”

At exactly 8 PM, the Douhua app started the premiere. Everyone stopped moving and looked at the screen. As the opening theme began, a low, hoarse male voice emerged. Su Xuan couldn’t help it—he sprayed a mouthful of beer onto the back of Huana’s head.

He stared at Huana in shock. “Who sang the opening theme?”

Huana wiped his hair with a tissue, suppressing his anger. “Fu Mu. It was arranged through your agent. Didn’t he tell you?”

Su Xuan suddenly remembered asking Liu Pangpang to find resources for Fu Mu… He found it a bit funny. Liu Pangpang claimed to hate Fu Mu, but the first thing he did was get him such a huge opportunity. And he kept it a secret from Su Xuan. That two-hundred-something-pound guy was surprisingly tsundere.

After wiping himself, Huana looked at Su Xuan. “Fu Mu is very capable. He wrote both the lyrics and music. I was hesitant at first, but he turned in the first draft in three days, and the music team approved it immediately. What’s the matter?”

Su Xuan shook his head. As he listened to Fu Mu’s voice, watching the fight scenes flash by on screen perfectly synced with the theme song, making Su Xuan look stylish and romantic, he suddenly asked, “…Do you think his song will be a hit?”

Huana said honestly, “I don’t know… Oh, wait. Let’s see the audience reaction.”

He opened the video’s bullet comments. [What’s the song called?] [The opening theme is great!] [Catchy intro!] [I opened Shazam] [Need the BGM] [I got goosebumps. High-quality opening theme—so *Nine-Tiered*!] [Kind of like this ancient-style tune.]

Huana turned to the stunned Su Xuan. “Looks like it’ll be a hit.”

Su Xuan suddenly remembered a conversation he’d had with Fu Mu a long time ago.

[If no one listens to my songs, what’s the point of protecting my voice?]

[Then at least I’ll still listen to your crappy songs, right?]

Su Xuan still remembered Fu Mu turning his head away, pretending to be angry, bumping him with his shoulder and raising an eyebrow, telling him not to say such unlucky things. They both would become huge stars one day.

Fu Mu had said, [Liu Pangpang has the two of us—an acting emperor and a singing god. It’s the blessing of his three hundred jin.]

[In the future, when you act in a drama, you’ll beg me to write the theme song. I’ll reluctantly write one for you considering you’re the lead. Then you’ll find out that my song is more popular than your drama! Haha! Damn, Su Xuan, don’t hit my head! My head is for writing songs! If you break it, you can’t afford it!]

Huana saw Su Xuan’s expression. “Su Xuan, do you have any objections to Fu Mu singing the theme song?”

Su Xuan snapped back to reality. “No objections. I’m just a bit surprised…”

Huana asked, “Surprised?”

Su Xuan fell silent.

Because three years ago, after Shen Chao left and the subsequent events, Fu Mu had a huge fight with him. Fu Mu swore he would never have anything to do with Su Xuan again, let alone sing for him.

If he broke his vow, he’d be a nobody forever.

At midnight, on the first day of *The Nine-Tiered*’s premiere, with paid streaming, it raked in over 160 million views in four hours.

After the first wave of viewers finished watching at 9 PM and spread the word like crazy, countless people decided to check it out. At 9:12 PM, the Douhua app was temporarily removed from several app stores due to a surge in downloads.

Netizens jokingly called it the “Nine-Tiered removal incident.”

At 10 PM, all the cast and crew related to *The Nine-Tiered* trended on the hot search list. Number one was “Shen Chao Returns,” and number two was “Song Xiao’s Crying Scene.”

Su Xuan hadn’t appeared in the first episode yet, so his discussion was still low.

Then the next hot search was “Fu Mu’s ‘Kan Po’.”

“Kan Po” was the theme song for *The Nine-Tiered* web series, a Chinese-style song with rap. At 10:30 PM, after some behind-the-scenes copyright coordination, “Kan Po” was quickly uploaded to major domestic music platforms for free due to popular demand.

At 11:30 PM, “Kan Po” topped the daily downloads on several music apps, with over ten thousand comments. The top comment was a line from the climax, where Fu Mu roared: “I thrust my fan through the nine tiers of the world! Life or death, walking corpse or living dead, I see through it all! Just an obstacle!”

It was sung for Rong Yanzhi.

Fu Mu had sworn that if he got involved with Su Xuan again, he’d be a nobody forever. But he never expected his most popular song ever would be the theme for a drama starring Su Xuan, and the most passionate, heart-wrenching line was written for Su Xuan’s character.

At 4 AM, less than a day after its release, “Kan Po” topped the Weekly Music Power Chart. Five minutes later, Shen Chao’s Weibo followers exceeded 100 million.

Su Xuan soon passed the 20 million follower mark.

The Nine-Tiered web series, with an unprecedented momentum, swept into the summer schedule.

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